Betrayed Hearts
by Marlenerocks
Summary: These are tough times for the four clans, MoonClan, FlareClan, SnowClan, and AppleClan. Rouges and loners are watching their every moves, but some problems are worse than others.
1. Prologue

Prologue

It was a silent night. The only sound breaking the peaceful night was the roaring of a waterfall. The air was crisp; leaf-bare was coming. A golden tabby she-cat with green eyes slinked across the large rocks. Her eyes blazed and cut through the night. She was heading to a large forest. Once she reached it, she sat quietly at the edge. She flicked her tail impatiently. Suddenly, a gray tabby tom with gold eyes appeared. A tabby tom kit with orange eyes and a brown and gray tabby she-cat kit with yellow eyes trailed after him.

"You came!" The golden tabby meowed. The gray tabby's gold eyes blazed with anger. The golden tabby cocked her head. "Is anything wrong?"

"I've been exiled!" The gray tabby snapped. The golden tabby took a step back.

"What?" She gasped.

"You heard me, Sunshower! I've been exiled! Quietstar found out you and I are mates and that Vinekit and Goatkit are half-clan. Then I tried to attack her; I couldn't help it, I was furious, so she exiled me! Has Twilightstar found that out yet?" The gray tabby snarled. Sunshower shook her head slowly. She felt terrible! She loved him, but she knew they couldn't be mates. She had made an awful mistake. There was a large knot in her belly. A lump rested in her throat. She gulped, trying to make it go away, but it didn't help.

"No, she hasn't. Tanglescratch, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. If I wasn't so stupid..." Sunshower dug her claws into the dry grass below her. Her head spun. She had ruined their lives!

"Sorry doesn't help it! I'm leaving!" Tanglescratch growled.

"Where will you go?" Sunshower queried. Tanglescratch sighed.

"The only place I can go. The Twolegplace. And the kits will be coming with me," Tanglescratch gestured to the two kits. They stared back up at him, fear in their eyes.

"But, Tanglescratch-" Sunshower started, but Tanglescratch cut her off.

"No! They will not go with you. I don't want you to get exiled too. If they go with you Twilightstar will question you, and although I don't know her very well, I know she is very good at detecting lies." Tanglescratch lowered his voice. "Also, I'm not Tanglescratch anymore. I'm Tangle. They are Vine and Goat." Tangle turned and started walking away, the kits following him. "Oh, and one more thing." He turned back to Sunshower. "I love you." After that, he trotted away with the kits, vanishing into the darkness, leaving Sunshower sitting their in the calm night, pain like a claw in her heart.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The day was like any other day for MoonClan. The sun was bright and cats were doing their normal rounds.

Foxpaw watched as her denmates, Sourpaw and Orangepaw, picked prey out of the fresh-kill pile and padded up to her.

"Hi, Foxpaw!" Orangepaw piped up. Foxpaw waved her paw. Sourpaw rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, hi," Sourpaw hissed. Foxpaw chuckled. Sourpaw was always the most nasty of the cats. She was full of herself and thought that she was the best cat out there.

"Hey, guys." Foxpaw mewed, taking a bite of her sparrow. She could feel the sun beat down on her black fur. She stifled a yawn.

"Are you tired?" Orangepaw queried. Foxpaw nodded her head.

"Whistlefir taught me to fight today. He showed me a really cool move. It's where you run and then you flip over under your opponet's belly and you scratch it. I practiced it today, and I did pretty good." Foxpaw explained. Orangepaw tore into her squirrel.

"Cool! I want to learn that! Can you teach me?" Orangepaw squealed, gray fur flying everywhere from the squirrel in her mouth. Foxpaw laughed.

"Yes, I just have to find a time when I'm available." She turned her head to the ill-tempered apprentice. "Would you like me to teach you, Sourpaw?"

Sourpaw picked at her mouse, then her green gaze flickered toward Foxpaw. Then she cracked a small smile.

"I don't need you to teach me anything. I know moves way cooler than that, believe me. I won't be teaching them to you, though." Sourpaw grinned. Orangepaw leapt to her paws, her fur bristling.

"Stop acting like you're the coolest and the best! No one's gonna like you if you are that way!" Orangepaw snapped. Sourpaw stood up and glared at her sister.

"Well, I'm only speaking of the truth! I wouldn't lie!" Foxpaw caught a glimpse of sarcasim in her voice. Orangepaw flattened her ears to her head.

"You're lying right now!" Orangepaw spat back, unsheathing her claws. Foxpaw knew this was going to get real bad real fast.

"Hey, hey, you two, stop it!" Foxpaw growled, standing up. Orangepaw and Sourpaw switched their gazes to Foxpaw. Fortunatley, Orangepaw's gaze softened.

"Okay." Orangepaw sat back down and stared at the ground. Sourpaw bared her teeth and sat back down.

"If only-" Sourpaw started. Suddenly, an ear-splitting screech rippled through the air.

"FlareClan! FlareClan is attacking!" Quietblaze shouted. The three apprentices exchanged glances, both excited and extremely scared at the same time.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Meadowpaw could feel her paws tingle. This was her first battle! MoonClan had been stealing prey, so FlareClan was going to fight for it.

Rockpaw padded up to her, flexing his claws.

"I'm so excited! I'm gonna kill the first warrior I see!" Rockpaw mewed.

"Remember, you do not need to kill to win a battle," Copperstreak, a golden ginger tom hissed to his brown tabby apprentice. Rockpaw dipped his head.

"Yes, Copperstreak," Rockpaw meowed, holding his head low. Meadowpaw glanced around, shaking. Suddenly, she heard a loud yowl coming from Rippleheart.

"They're coming!" He howled, his call echoing. Meadowpaw could see the MoonClan warriors streaming into the clearing.

"Here they come!" Rockpaw squealed, bouncing up and down. But Meadowpaw couldn't feel his excietment. She was scared. What if a cat killed her?

"You don't need to kill to win a battle," she muttered under her breath, making sure Rockpaw didn't hear. "They won't kill me."

Without warning, she felt sharp claws dig into her back. Letting out a yelp half of surprise and half of pain, she whipped around and stared into the angry eyes of the MoonClan warrior Hisswhisker. Without thinking, she lashed out her paw and raked her claws down his muzzle. He shook his head furiously, sending scarlet droplets everywhere.

Without warning, a golden she-cat tackled her to the ground, letting out hisses of fury. Meadowpaw recognized the rude apprentice Sourpaw.

"Why are you attacking us?" Sourpaw snapped, biting Meadowpaw's ear. Meadowpaw bit Sourpaw's tail.

"You have been stealing food!" Meadowpaw yowled back, trying to rake her belly.

"Liar!" Sourpaw screeched, flipping Meadowpaw onto her back.

Meadowpaw tried to swipe at her, but Sourpaw dug her claws into the tender skin of her belly. Meadowpaw let out a shrill cry.

"Good job, Sourpaw!" Hisswhisker called. Meadowpaw felt the inside of her burn up with rage. She wasn't going to loose to the mean apprentice!

"Meadowpaw, don't stop! You are doing great!" Meadowpaw heard her mentor, Hazelfur, yell. Feeling strength race through her legs, she thrust the apprentice off and seized her by the leg. Sourpaw spat at her angrily, but Meadowpaw scilenced her with a blow to the face.

Sourpaw staggered back and ran away, leaving the grass red. Meadowpaw gasped for air. She did it!

Without warning, a loud shriek came from Rockpaw. Meadowpaw froze. The blood in her veins turned ice cold. Had her best friend been hurt, or worse, killed?


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Copperstreak shoved his way through the fighting cats, feeling sick to his stomach. His apprentice couldn't be dead, he just couldn't...

Copperstreak reached the injured apprentice. The brown tabby had a big gash through his side. Copperstreak grinned when Rockpaw's eyes snapped open and flickered toward Copperstreak.

"Are you okay? Does that hurt? Oh wait, it has to hurt-" Copperstreak ranted, feeling nervous. Rockpaw let out a weak cough.

"Stop it, you're embarrasing me," Rockpaw mewed feebly, his voice cracking. Copperstreak let out a _mreow_ of laughter.

"Rockpaw! Rockpaw!" Copperstreak turned around to see Meadowpaw. Fear flashed in her yellow eyes.

"Go back and fight!" Copperstreak snapped. Meadowpaw sat down and tilted her head.

"The fight is over. Didn't you notice that?" Meadowpaw meowed. She was right. He did not hear anymore screaming, and when he looked around he only saw FlareClan cats. Copperstreak laughed.

"I must've been too worried about Rockpaw to notice," he told the creamy brown apprentice.

Blacksun and Littlepuddle padded up to Rockpaw.

"Aw, you poor thing. Let's take you back to the medicine cat's den." Littlepuddle mewed, picking up Rockpaw by the sruff. Copperstreak smiled. He had trained his apprentice good.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sun bathed the nursery floor. Whisperkit opened his aqua blue eyes, ready to see the world. He started to pad outside, but he felt a paw clamp down on his tail.

"Where do you think you're going?" A voice queried. Whisperkit flattened his ears to his head and turned to face Fernwillow.

"Outside," Whisperkit mumbled. Fernwillow shook her head. She wasn't Whisperkit's real mother, but she was his foster mother. Whisperkit's mother had been struck by a monster long ago.

"Goldenkit wants to play with you," Fernwillow meowed. Whisperkit furiously thrashed his tail.

"Tell her I'll play with her outside," Whisperkit ordered, Fernwillow seized him by the scruff and set him down next to the golden she-cat.

"Play with her here," Fernwillow suggested. As she lay down, Whisperkit leaned forward.

"Goldenkit, let's go outside!" Whisperkit had a big grin on his face. Goldenkit swayed side to side, as if she didn't know what to do.

"Fernwillow said-" Goldenkit started, but Whisperkit silenced her with a flick of his tail.

"Who cares what Fernwillow said! Come one, it'll be fun!" Whisperkit turned and raced outside, Goldenkit right behind him.

When he got outside, he felt the sun beat down on his fur. He saw cats gathering in the camp. Goldenkit padded up next to him.

"It's so big..." her voice trailed off.

"And this is just the camp. I wonder what it's like outside the camp!" Whisperkit mewed. Goldenkit glared at him.

"I hope you aren't getting any ideas," she hissed. Whisperkit turned to her.

"Go outside with me," he said. Goldenkit shook her head.

"You know, I felt bad enough going out of the nursery without Fernwillow's permission, but I don't want to do that!" Goldenkit snapped. Whisperkit felt anger start to burn up in his stomach.

"Scardey-cat, scardey-cat," he teased. Goldenkit began to tremble.

"I am _not_ a scardey-cat!" Goldenkit spat. Whisperkit smirked at her.

"Then prove it. Come with me into the forest, outside of camp." Whisperkit dared. Goldenkit ruffled her fur.

"Fine," she muttered, angry. Whisperkit raised his head in triumph and looked around for the nearest exit. He found a small crack just near the entrance, and it was perfect. Whisperkit and he could fit through it easily. He slid inside, feeling Goldenkit behind him. She shivered. What trouble would they get into this time?


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lily sat on her fence, staring out into the forest beyond. Although it would be fun to go there, she knew that bone-eating cats lived there. She sighed.

"Hi, Lily!" A voice yelled. Lily swiveled her head to see a gray tabby tom with tiger-like stripes, a ginger underbelly and a white chest and muzzle sitting on the fence too. She grinned.

"Hey, Tiger," her voice trailed off. Tiger got closer to her.

"Is something wrong?" He queried. Lily shook her head.

"Just wondering what it would be like to live in the forest," she replied. Tiger stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"No food, no shelter, cats that kill you and eat your bones," he explained, licking his fur. "Yeah. Evil cats."

"But aren't the cats who live in the alleys evil too?" Lily asked. Tiger cocked his head. "They try to attack everything that walks by." Tiger nodded quickly.

"I got in a fight with them the other day!" He started, leaping into Lily's yard. He stalked around, his fur ruffled. "Man, were they tough! And there were three of them! Two of them were black with red eyes and one of them was gray with a black eye mask."

"Oh really?" Lily chuckled, laying down. "Tell me."

"I was having one of those morning strolls," he began to tell the story while walking around happily, "When all of the sudden those three cats jumped out from behind a garbage can!" He jumped up, his eyes wide, then landed on the ground, claws unsheathed and fur bristling. "They walked toward me, claws and teeth dripping with blood. They grinned at me and let out the most evil laugh you ever heard!" He stalked toward her, chuckling meanly. "I knew I couldn't back down from an awesome fight like that, so I leapt into the air and tackled them! I tussled with those mangy fur-balls for quite a while, but then I realized it was stupid to fight so I went back home." He imitated the whole fight by hissing, spitting, rolling around in the grass and fighting invisible cats. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Really? Nice. But to me it sounds like you chickened out." Lily meowed. Tiger got to his feet and rapidly licked her fur down.

"No way!" He spat. Lily giggled.

"Well, thank you for the lovely story, but I best be returning home," she jumped off the fence and walked past Tiger over to the door to the Twolegnest.

"Be careful, Lily, they can be anywhere, watching us with penetrating eyes right now," he stepped back and cracked a twig. He leapt into the air and screamed. "There's one now!" Lily laughed again.

"Well, Tiger, it'd be smart if you went home so the city cats don't get you." Lily rolled her eyes. Tiger, looking embarrassed, leapt over the fence and sped home. He left Lily there, wondering if the forest cats were even worse.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Whisperkit felt the warm sun beat down on his gray and white fur. Goldenkit appeared behind him, gasping for air. Whisperkit turned to her, his aqua blue eyes overlooking her.

"It's about time you got here," he hissed. Goldenkit's fur bristled.

"I can only run so fast with these little legs. When I'm older, I'll be able to outrun you any time!" Goldenkit spat back. Whisperkit started to get angry.

"Maybe," he growled and walked away. Goldenkit bounded after him.

"So, where exactly are we going?" Goldenkit mewed. Whisperkit's gaze flicked left to right.

"I'm not really sure." He whispered. Goldenkit cocked her head.

"Well, this has been a really great adventure, but I-" Goldenkit turned to run away, but Whisperkit clamped his paw down on her tail. "Ow! Let go!" Goldenkit yowled, batting at his paw. Whisperkit puddled his paw away, growling.

"Whisperkit! Goldenkit! Where are you?" A voice howled.

"That's Fernwillow. We better get back home!" Goldenkit snapped. Whisperkit shook his head.

"No! We just got here!" Whisperkit protested. Goldenkit crouched down.

"And now it's time to go!" She shouted at him, slapping him with her paw. Whisperkit whipped around and pounced on Goldenkit. Goldenkit squealed, and they rolled around in the grass, squealing and yowling. Suddenly, lighting flashed and thunder roared overhead. Goldenkit and Whisperkit stopped and exchanged glances. Without warning, rain started to pour down on them, soaking their fur. They shivered.

"Uh oh!"


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Whisperkit glanced around franticly, trying to remember the way they had come. Goldenkit glared at him and bared her teeth.

"Now look what you did!" She snapped. Whisperkit ignored the rude comment and started to run.

"Follow me!" He shouted. Goldenkit sped after him hesitantly.

"Why should I trust you when you lead me outside and are probably gonna get us killed?" she retorted. Whisperkit shook his head, the rain blinding him.

"I don't know!" Whisperkit replied. Strangely, he felt his paws land on something hard, but he kept going. Suddenly, lights flared in front of the two kits. They screamed. A big, roaring monster sped toward them. They leapt out of the way and landed on rough grass.

Goldenkit crashed into Whisperkit, so they both tumbled down a small hill.

When they hit the bottom, drenched, their fur brown with mud, they heard low hisses.

"What do we have here?" A voice growled.

"Two little kits!" Another voice replied.

"They stink of AppleClan, sir," a third voice said.

"AppleClan, eh?" A fourth voice snarled, low and menacing. Whisperkit and Goldenkit sat up and started at four thin, evil-looking cats.

"Ew, the clans? They're even worse than kittypets! They think they're all that," the second voice, a black she-cat with red eyes sneered.

"I know. I just want to kill them and see them lay in their own blood," a black tom with blood-red eyes added.

"Let me just check to make sure their clan-cats," the first voice, a tabby tom with orange eyes, bent down and sniffed Goldenkit. Goldenkit narrowed her eyes and lashed out her paw, claws unsheathed. It hit the cat's nose.

"Ow! She scratched me!" The tabby spat.

"Then kill them!" The fourth voice, a gray tabby tom with gold eyes ordered. The three cats leapt forward, claws unsheathed. Whisperkit and Goldenkit screamed.

"Kill, Nightmare, Vine, Tangle, stop!" A voice screeched. The three attacking cats stopped and swiveled their heads to face a brown and white tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Tangle bared his teeth.

"Hazel, get back to your can! I never ordered you to come!" Tangle, the leader of the cats, the gray tabby demanded. Hazel, the beautiful she-cat stepped forward, in front of the two terrified kits.

"It's Hazelsnow, Tangle, and no, I will not let you kill them!" Hazelsnow snapped. The black she-cat with red eyes, Kill, thrashed her tail angrily.

"She's too scared to kill two little kits, isn't she?" Kill teased. The other two cats decided to join in.

"She's just like those stupid clan-cats. Soft, soft, soft, to afraid to kill any cat!" The black tom with red eyes, Nightmare, joked. They all laughed.

"Hazelsnow, Hazelsnow, scared as a mouse! Too much of a fraidy-cat too kill even a fly!" Vine, the tabby tom with orange eyes, chanted. They laughed, and Kill, Nightmare, and Vine started to dance in a circle, singing the song.

"Silence!" Tangle shouted. The three cats stopped. Vine turned his attention to Hazelsnow. "You are scared, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not! I was just wondering... can I do the honor of killing them this time?" Hazelsnow meowed. Vine hesitated, nodded slowly and stepped back. Hazelsnow whipped around and started at the cats. Although her eyes were kind, they were still scared. "I'm not actually gonna hurt you," she whispered. The kits nodded slowly, not sure if they should trust her or not. "Get out of here. Go!" Hazelsnow ordered. The kits nodded, turned around and sped away into the storm.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Whisperkit! Goldenkit!" Fernwillow shouted, shaking. Dawncloud stood next to her in the pouring rain, in the center of the camp. Sunspots, Fernwillow's mate, and Skyfoot, Dawncloud's mate, sat at the entrance of the camp. All the warriors and apprentices were in the clearing, wondering where the kits had gone.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Bigboulder for a Clan meeting." Quietstar announced. All the cats gathered in front of Bigboulder. Quietstar stood on top of it, scanning the clearing below. "Two of our kits are missing. Whisperkit and Goldenkit. I will send a patrol to go and find them. Sunspots, you will lead the patrol. Ravenpaw, Skyfoot, Jaypaw, Rhythmsong, Reflectionwater, and Owlsong with go with. Move out!"

Sunspots gathered up the patrol. Timepaw, Ravenpaw and Goldenkit's big sister, bounded up to Sunspots.

"Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE let me come with you! I don't want my sister to die!" Timepaw wailed. Sunspots glanced up at Quietstar. It was hard to see her past the rain and fog. Lightning flashed and thunder cracked. Quietstar nodded.

"Badgerclaw and Timepaw will go too." She added. Timepaw bounced up and down.

"Yay! I'm gonna find my sister!" Timepaw squealed. Ravenpaw nodded.

"Me too," he agreed, sounding less confident.

"Okay, let's go," Sunspots ordered. He and his patrol padded out of the clearing, paws sinking in deep mud. Rain poured down, making the path trickier.

"Good luck," they could hear Quietstar's call before the roaring off the rain drowned it away.

Timepaw and Ravenpaw ran ahead, but still stayed in sight of the patrol. Timepaw sniffed the air.

"I can smell them!" Timepaw yowled back to the patrol.

"How can you smell anything in this weather?" Badgerclaw shouted back.

"Goldenkit's my sister! Of course I know her smell!" Timepaw meowed.

"I can smell it, too!" Ravenpaw yelled. "Wait, what's that-" Ravenpaw's comment was cut off by a loud shriek and a loud roar.

"What was that?" Owlsong asked. Sunspots squinted. He could make out two little kits, fur caked with mud, two apprentices, and a large, white thing. "BADGER!" Sunspots screeched, racing forward. The patrol zoomed after him. "Jaypaw, go tell Quietstar!" Jaypaw dipped his head and ran away.

Sunspots leapt into the air, but stopped when he saw Timepaw rip the badger's side open. The badger roared and clamped his huge paw down of her. She bit his paw, and he started to shake his pelt. Timepaw hung on, scratching and biting.

Without warning, the badger flung Timepaw on the ground, blood dripping from his claws and teeth. Sunspots stared at the small apprentice, laying there, bloody, limp. Sunspots felt fury build up in his stomach. He jumped on the badger and fought as hard as he could. The rest of the patrol joined in, ripping and screeching. Except Ravenpaw. He sat next to his sister, poking her.

Finally, the badger fled. The patrol sat on the ground, gasping for air. Jaypaw returned with Breezeclaw and Robinfeather.

"Timepaw, please wake up. Please, Timepaw, please..." Ravenpaw's voice trailed off.

Whisperkit and Goldenkit gathered around Timepaw's body. "You have to get up, you have to get up and go home," Ravenpaw begged, patting Timepaw. The she-cat didn't budge. Timepaw began to tremble.

"This is all my fault, I'm sorry, Goldenkit, I'm sorry... This is all my fault. If I hadn't begged you to come with me... Oh my gosh, oh... She's dead and it's my fault..." the wind ripped the words from Whisperkit's mouth. Goldenkit lay on her sister's body, shivering and crying.

"I'm so sorry..." Whisperkit murmured, before he was taken away by grief...


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sunspots helped carry Timepaw's body back. Goldenkit and Ravenpaw walked by him, staring at their sister's body. Whisperkit staggered close behind, his blue eyes clouded with grief and guilt.

When they entered the camp, cats stared at Timepaw's body. They gasped.

"Put her down!" A voice shouted. Sunspots saw Clovertail, the medicine cat, come racing over. Silvermist followed her.

"She's dead," Sunspots murmured. Clovertail dragged her away when Sunspots set her down. She and her medicine apprentice entered the medicine cat den. Sunspots followed them.

"She's dead," Sunspots repeated. Clovertail shook her head.

"Are you stupid? She's breathing!" Clovertail snapped. "I need Coltsfoot, Cobweb, Comfrey, Dock, Goldenrod, and Stinging Needle leaves." Silvermist handed the herbs to Clovertail and she started treating Timepaw. "Go tell the clan. They'll be happy to hear the news. Especially her brother and sister."

Sunspots turned and padded out of the den, his tail head high.

"She's alive," Sunspots announced. Every cat in the clearing turned to each other and started chattering happily.

Badgerclaw, Goldenkit, and Ravenpaw padded out of the crowd.

"Our sister! She's alive! The evil, stupid badger didn't kill her!" Timepaw's siblings chanted. Badgerclaw grinned.

"That's my apprentice! She's always been tough!" Badgerclaw meowed. Sunspots smirked and nodded.

"Can we go see her?" Goldenkit asked. Sunspots nodded solemnly.

The apprentice and kit padded inside the den. Badgerclaw and Sunspots followed.

"Goldenkit? Ravenpaw?" Timepaw raised her head, one eye cloudy. "I can barely see you."

"Timepaw!" Goldenkit and Ravenpaw bounced up to Timepaw and licked her.

"Move! You'll mess everything up!" Clovertail snapped. The cats moved away quickly.

"What?" Timepaw queried. Whisperkit padded in.

"Thank StarClan you're alive..." he murmured.

"Um... Timepaw? You okay?" Clovertail asked.

"I can't see out of one eye or hear out of one ear," Timepaw mewed. Silvermist nodded slowly.

"I know what it is. You are blind out of that eye and deaf out of that ear." Silvermist meowed. Timepaw started to tremble.

"Okay, looks like we need Poppyseed." Clovertail smiled. When Silvermist returned with the herb, Clovertail gave it to Timepaw. "You guys better leave now. She needs some rest."

They left, Whisperkit shivering. "It's my fault... my fault..."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sunshower lay in the Warrior's den. She couldn't get her mind off her mate and her kits. Were they okay? How were they doing? Did her kits even remember her? Sunshower covered her face with her paws.

"Sunshower? Is everything alright?" Sunshower raised her head wearily. She stared into the bright blue eyes of Silvercloud.

"Yes, I'm just really tired," Sunshower lied, getting to her paws. Silvercloud thrashed her tail.

"You've been tired everyday. Are you not getting enough sleep? You want me to take you to Shinestorm?" Silvercloud offered. Sunshower shook her head quickly.

"The last thing I need is poppy seeds," Sunshower meowed. "I've just been having bad dreams lately."

"What about?" Silvercloud queried. Sunshower was suddenly annoyed by Silvercloud's curiosity, but she couldn't just say nothing to her. That would sound suspicious.

"About foxes," Sunshower said the first thing that came to her mind. Silvercloud laughed.

"What would foxes be doing up here in the mountains?" Silvercloud giggled. Sunshower shrugged.

"Don't ask me, I don't know," Sunshower mewed. "If you have a question like that you might as well ask StarClan."

"FYI, I am not a medicine cat!" Silvercloud hissed playfully. Sunshower rolled her eyes.

"I knew that," Sunshower hoped she didn't sound rude. Silvercloud nudged her.

"Hey, Lionstorm is going hunting, want to come spy on him with me?" Silvercloud asked. Sunshower shuffled her paws. Silvercloud had a huge crush on Lionstorm.

"Um, okay." Sunshower said.

"Sweet! Come on, he's leaving camp now!" Silvercloud sped after him. Sunshower followed, dark thought troubling her.

Lionstorm had vanished into the undergrowth. Silvercloud crawled behind a tree then popped her head out from behind the bush. Sunshower did the same. But thoughts kept troubling her.

"Get back!" Sunshower felt herself get flung back. Silvercloud glared at her. "He almost saw you!"

"I'm sorry," Sunshower got to her paws and shook her golden tabby pelt. Tangle, Vine, and Goat kept coming back to her. She had to get it off of her chest. She sat there for a moment. She was going to tell Silvercloud. "Silvercloud?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Sure."

"You know Tanglescratch of AppleClan?" Sunshower gulped. Silvercloud nodded.

"He was exiled a long time ago for forbidden love." Silvercloud pointed out. Sunshower nodded.

"Do you know who his mate is?" Sunshower asked. The silver and white she-cat shook her head.

"Who?"

"Me." Sunshower mewed. Silvercloud stared at her. "I'm his mate, Silvercloud." Silvercloud's confused expression suddenly turned angry, and she turned and ran away. Sunshower raced after her. "Where you going?"

"To tell Twilightstar!" Silvercloud shouted back, her voice full of hatred.

"You said you were going to keep a secret!" Sunshower yelped at her, worried.

"I never promised you!" Silvercloud snapped, racing ahead. Sunshower felt her heart pound. Silvercloud was the fastest cat in the Clan! How would she ever outrun her? _It's my fault. It's my fault. I've lost my best friend. I've lost my mate, my kits, I've lost everything..._


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Icestar watched as the clan assembled below her. Some of the faces showed sheer terror, while others showed anger. When every cat was there, Icestar raised her tail to signal everyone to be quiet. The talking died down and all eyes were on her.

"Yesterday we fought a battle against FlareClan. Some of you are probably wondering why they attacked. Well, I talked to Blazestar and he said MoonClan has been stealing prey." Icestar announced. The whispering started again and the cats began to discuss things below.

"Steal prey? We never steal prey!" Cobrafang, a dark brown tom with black spots and cream colored paws snapped. Most of the cats yowled in agreement.

"That's not what I heard from Blazestar," Icestar replied calmly.

"Blazestar is probably lying!" Whistlefir, a brown tabby tom, sneered.

"Yeah, what does he know? Every FlareClan cat is a fox-hearted mangy furball!" Moonfire, a silver she-cat added. There was a lot of hissing and spitting. The frosty blue she-cat glared at the cats arguing.

"Enough!" The leader ordered. The clearing fell quiet. "I will talk to Blazestar at the Gathering, but if I do hear of anyone prey-stealing, I will have a serious talk with them. This meeting is now over." Icestar leapt off the branch of the tree and landed on the ground. The cats started tending to their normal rounds. Icestar sighed. If she did hear of anyone prey-stealing, it wouldn't be nice.

"Icestar!" Icestar turned her head to see her deputy, Moonflyght, a tabby she-cat with black, silver, light gray, and white stripes with ice blue eyes come padding towards here.

"Yes Moonflyght?" Icestar sat down as the deputy raced over. She sat in front of Icestar.

"Blazestar wants to speak with you," Moonflyght meowed. Icestar nodded. "He's waiting at the edge of the camp."

"Thanks Moonflyght," Icestar said. Moonflyght dipped her head and walked away. Icestar walked over to the edge of the camp. She turned the corner and saw a flame orange cat with brown and yellow specks.

"Icestar," the FlareClan leader dipped his head. Icestar bowed her head back.

"You wish to speak with me?" Icestar queried. Blazestar nodded.

"Yes," Blazestar replied. "Did you talk with your clan?"

"Yes," Icestar answered. "They said no one was prey-stealing."

"Really? That's not what my clan said," Blazestar glared at her. Icestar returned the glare. She knew her clan didn't lie!

"Well, I don't know," Icestar meowed. "I think we should double the patrols. Who knows, maybe your clan is lying." Just after the moment the words slipped out of her mouth, she knew she had made a mistake.

"My clan is not lying!" Blazestar stomped his foot. "My clan never lies! We are a clan of honesty!" Icestar flicked her tail.

"I'm sorry, Blazestar, I shouldn't have said that," Icestar apologized. Blazestar's fur began to lay flat. "Let's just double the patrols, okay?" Blazestar nodded, more calm this time, but he kept his cold stare on her. Yellow eyes met golden eyes, and Blazestar dipped his head.

"I'm sorry," Blazestar mewed. "I got a little out of control there." Icestar couldn't help but chuckle.

"So, we'll double the patrols, and none of us shall speak of this again. But if any of my warriors find anyone on my territory…" Icestar's voice trailed off. Blazestar nodded.

"I will do the same." Blazestar turned to leave. "May StarClan light your path."

"You too," Icestar murmured before the FlareClan leader vanished.


End file.
